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Stimulation of NO and N 2 O emissions from soils by SO 2 deposition
Author(s) -
Cai Zucong,
Zhang Jinbo,
Zhu Tongbin,
Cheng Yi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
global change biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.146
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1365-2486
pISSN - 1354-1013
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2012.02688.x
Subject(s) - autotroph , nitrification , deposition (geology) , environmental chemistry , soil water , denitrification , heterotroph , chemistry , environmental science , nitrogen , biology , bacteria , soil science , paleontology , genetics , organic chemistry , sediment
Sulfur dioxide ( SO 2 ) in the atmosphere has been demonstrated to have many adverse impacts on the environment and human health. In this study, deposition of SO 2 ranging from 9.0 to 127.8 mg kg −1 with an average of 35.7 mg S kg −1 was found to substantially stimulate NO and N 2 O emissions from soils in the humid subtropical areas of Hainan, Fujian, Jiangxi, and Yunnan provinces of China under field conditions. Laboratory tests indicated that the stimulations were mediated biologically as the effects were not observed in sterilized soils. Acidification of soil resulting from SO 2 deposition was not responsible for the stimulated NO and N 2 O emissions alone as the stimulation did not occur by acidifying soil with HNO 3 treatment. By using the 15 N tracing method, we found that the N 2 O emissions stimulated by SO 2 deposition were from either denitrification, heterotrophic nitrification or both, but not from autotrophic nitrification. Therefore, atmospheric SO 2 deposition would most likely stimulate NO and N 2 O emissions in acidic soils in which heterotrophic nitrification dominates NO and N 2 O production and waterlogged soils in which denitrification dominates NO and N 2 O production.